Way back home
by LuminousLibrary
Summary: After Glenn's death, the group has to walk back home to Alexandria.
1. Chapter 1

"Carol at Alexandria?" he asked.

Rick looked up, but immediately looked away again when he met Daryl's eyes briefly.

Everybody was quiet. They were walking back to Alexandria. Feeling defeated after the murder of Glenn by Negan. He had let them go after that, having made his point. Now they were all wondering what was going to happen. They would have to deliver Negan and his group half of everything they had: food, guns, and medicine. They would not survive winter with only half their rations.

Daryl had been the same as the rest of them. Stunned and defeated, quietly walking when he noticed once again that Carol was not with the group. Back then he had only felt a small moment of relief when he noticed she wasn't captured, but was soon filled with horror and anger at the further developments of the night. He did not have the time to think about her not being there and not being selected by Negan. Now that they were walking back he remembered Carol once again when he tried to look for her face within the group.

Rick's reaction didn't tell him much, and he left him alone. Thinking it might not be the moment to ask about people who had escaped being there surrounded by Negan's people, waiting to be picked to be beaten to death by that bat. Everybody's thoughts were with Glenn and their uncertain future survival. She was probably in Alexandria, anyway. She did not come after him, and she had not joined Rick's group to bring Maggie to Hilltop.

He looked around when he thought of Maggie. She was being carried by Abraham and looked terrible and sick. She had lost consciousness after screaming. She would lose the baby probably. No way that they would get to Hilltop in time after this. Negan had told them to leave their car. So they had to walk back to Alexandria before they could get a new car, to get to Hilltop.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, I wrote this quickly while sleep deprived. There might be stupid mistakes. Might repost it later again. I want to say I was very excited with the first season 7 trailer. My Caryl heart was beating, I bet yours was as well ;).**

When they arrived at Alexandria, the group did not know what to say to the residents that had stayed. Each one turned their head away when one of the Alexandrians gave them a questioning look. Immediately feeling that something was off, they just stared at the group as they walked in. Only one guy stepped forward and approached Rick. Garbiel had Judith in his arms and completely innocent as she was, she was simply happy to see her father. When he saw her, he quickened his steps and took her in his arms. Trying to find comfort in the baby's smell.

Daryl slowed his steps when he saw Rick holding Judith close. He felt like that was exactly what he needed. Not finding what he was looking for in around the group he stalked forward searching. Behind him he heard Rick calling out to him, but Daryl ignored him. There was something specific he needed.

When he arrived at the house he walked inside, opened each door, scanned each room. Still not finding what he was looking for he went outside again. His breathing became a little bit heavier as he felt the tension in his body become more intense. He walked towards the pantry, then the armoury. After that, he tried Deanna's house, the garden Maggie and Glenn had set up, the graves, … She was nowhere to be found and after each place the tension in his body became more unbearable. He did not want to go to Tobin's house, but it was the only place that he had not looked and where she might be. He clenched his fists and grit his teeth in frustration.

When he arrived at Tobin's house, Rick no longer holding Judith came from the other side of the street.

'Daryl -', Rick called.

'Have you seen Carol?', he interrupted Rick. 'I can't find her anywhere.'

A door opened and Tobin came outside.

'You guys are back! How did it go?' he asked.

Rick and Daryl both ignored Tobin.

'Daryl, I am so sorry. I haven't had the chance to tell you -', Rick started again.

Daryl clenched his fists again, dreading where this was going. Meanwhile, Tobin approached them. Rick cast a nervous glance in his direction, hoping Tobin would stay out of this. This would be hard enough without his interference.

'What?', Daryl asked gruff. 'Where is Carol?'

'Oh, man.' Tobin said, finally grasping the conversation. 'You haven't heard. You were gone before I found the note.'

Rick became nervous. He had wanted to do this somewhere else, without others, especially without Tobin. Before Rick could continue his explanation, Tobin took over.

'You see, the morning you went outside of Alexandria, I found a note near my bedside table.'

Daryl's eyes widened. He knew Carol and Tobin had something going on, but had preferred not to think about it too much. He didn't like Tobin pointing it out so blatantly.

'What… note?' he growled.

'She took off, man.' Tobin finished.

Tobin barely finished his sentence or Daryl took a swing at him and punched him right in the face. The turmoil inside refused to accept what Tobin had told him and what it meant. He did not know what to do first, but the tension in his body wanted him to do something, so he hit Tobin with his good, but weaker left arm. He felt too many things. He was angry with Tobin, the man who dared to come near him, who had dared to give him this news, the man who had had whatever-it-was with Carol. He also felt frustration; he did not know where to go with his sadness, his want for comfort, his need for Carol. And he felt fear. Fear because of what this news meant, fear he might have lost Carol again.

He broke down; it was too much.

Rick pulled him off Tobin. Tobin cursed and yelled something like 'What the hell, man?', but Daryl did not hear. Rick restrained him. He kept his arms around Daryl so he could not move. Daryl pushed and pulled and finally sobbed. Rick's arms where a poor substitute for the arms he had been looking for, but they would have to do.


End file.
